US building field hospital in Türkiye’s quake-hit Antakya region

By Omer Faruk Cebeci and Ibrahim Yozoglu

HATAY, Türkiye (AA) - The US has started building a 100-bed field hospital in Türkiye’s quake-hit southern Hatay province.

The hospital will be run by 34 personnel from the US Air and Naval Forces in the compound of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Hospital in the Antakya region.

The hospital will also have an intensive care unit and an operating room.

Stephen Allen, the head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Disaster Response Team (DART), told reporters that they sent a search and rescue team consisting of 160 people and dogs to Adiyaman province in coordination with Türkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).

Upon the request of the Turkish government, they brought relief supplies to people in need, he said, adding that they also provide funds to organizations trying to respond to the earthquake victims.

They also work in coordination with the US Department of Defense units to respond more effectively, he added.

“I really want to thank you for the hospitality that you have shown to us and all of the generosity,” he said.

At least 44,374 people have been killed by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye.

The 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 11 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Elazig and Sanliurfa.

* Writing by Gozde Bayar